Rocker arm



Sept. 28, 1937. I NQTTER 2,094,019"- ROCKER ARM Filed Aug. 13, 1932 INVENTOR. BY r-yI/K Z r a. 97

A T TORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFl-CE Harry L. Notter, Chicago, Ill. Application August 13, 1932, Serial No. 628,686

This inventio vices used for 4 Claims.

n relates to rocker arms or deactuating valves in internal combustion engines, particularly type. On account of the po arm and valves in such engin been found difficult to p One of the principa same.

ent invention is the provision lubricating the parts of lubricating the contact point arm and the coacting de floating contact member :stem and a particular form 0 said member in normal The objects of the p provide an improved for rocker vices.

f the overhead valve sition of the rocker es, it, has heretofore roperly lubricate the 1 devices of the presof novel means for the rocker arm and also 5 between the rocker I also provide a actuating the valve f spring for holding position. resent invention are to arm which may be readily constructed and which will be more eflicient .in operation than those provide a rocker arm with a floating heretofore used; to member for operating the valve and means for oiling same; to provide a rocker arm having a floating member for engagement with th form of spring for retaini e valve stem and a novel ng the floating member and also holding it in position against the valve stem; and to provide fur movements such as will appear ing description.

In the accompanying form of my invention;

Figure 1 is a top plan view; Figure 2 is a side view of the rocker arm, showing the method of mounting same and the coacting parts;

Figure 3 is manner.

supplied to the rocker ar shaft '1 and one or more walls .of the shaft supply The oil is supplied to the ther advantages and imfrom the followdrawing illustrating one enlarged sectional view taken ub or hearing 6 which haft I, in the usual indicated at 8 is oles 9 through the oil to the bearing 6. hollow shaft 1 in any suitable manner, as by means of an oil pump (not shown) or from commonly used and w will be understood that there usually being a less clearance between these will not be freely discharged closely,

3/1000 of an inch or parts, so that the .oil

through the holes 9.

The rocker arm .5 In which is threade screw II which connec 5 in the usual offset portion manner. The

I3 which pref any other device such as ell known in this art. It the "bearing flts the shaft clearance of about has one branch or extension 6. to receive an adjusting ts with the push rod I2 branch II] has an erably projects out to the point above or adjacent to the bearing between the push rod and the adjusting screw, as shown in Figure 2. In order to lubricate such bearing,.I provide a hole I Iw extending through the portion I3 and the hub 6 and providing an outlet from the bearing.

The opposite branch or arm I5 of the rocker has a cylindrical head or hearing I6 with an oblong or oval hole II, the major axis I is at a slight angle to the vertical or to the center line of the valve rod. A floating member I8 is mounted in the hole I! and is held in normal or depressed position in the hole by means of a spring I9. This spring has a hole 29 for receiving a lug or projection 2| on the top of the rocker l and is held in operative position by a cotter pin 22. One end of the spring presses upon the arm III and the other end is bifurcated and provided with downwardly extending projections or blades 24. These projections or blades pass through slot in the bearing I6 and engage with peripheral grooves 26 in the floating member I8. By means of this arrangement, the spring not only tends to press the floater downwardly but also serves to hold it against longitudinal movement in the bearing. The bearing I6 is also provided with a slot or hole 26 for receiving the valve stem H, the upper end of which is engaged by the floater I8. The bearing may also be provided with flanges or lips 28, to furnish substantial side bearings whereby the rocker may be held in alignment with the valve stem without "the necessity of spacing devices on the rocker shaft.

In order to lubricate the floater I8 in its movement in the bearing and also its contact with the valve stem, I provide a hole 29 which extends from the bearing 6 to the bearing I6 as shown in the Figure 2, and which preferably is in alignment with the hole It so that these holes are drilled in one operation.

When the engine is running the centrifugal action of the rocker arm induces a partial vacuum or suction in the drilled holes 'I l-29 which bleeds suflicient oil from the main bearing to properly lubricate the floater and its contact with the valve stem and bearing I6. The amount of oil being bled from the main bearing depending upon the speed of the engine, it follows that as the speed increases, the suction increases, thereby controlling the flow of lubricant, insuring the correct amount for all speeds. The action being entirely automatic no wicks or other materials are required either for conducting or checking the lubricant. The length and diameter of the holes are a factor in determining the amount of lubricant supplied to the coacting parts. It will be noted that the holes 9 are always out-of regis-' ter or alignment with the holes l4 and 29 so that the oil cannot be forced or will not run directly from tubular shaft 7 through such holes. The action due to the movement of the arms is, however, such that the suction is produced at the inner ends of the holes I4 and 29, which tends to draw suflicient oil from around the shaft for the purpose needed, but prevents any direct flow of the oil.

It is well understood that when an arm or body is vibrated or rotated around a center, there is a centrifugal force developed which tends to cause the body to move away from the center. On account of the vibration or rotation of the rocker arm on its shaft, the oil in the passageways I4 and 29 will be subjected to such centrifugal action and will tend to be thrown out at the outer ends of the arms and thus sucking or drawing more oil out from around the-bearing surfaces. While such centrifugal action may not be eX- cessive, I have found that it is sufficient to properly lubricate the parts to be oiled, particularly if the holes or passageways are designed in accordance with the lubricating requirements of the particular engine on which the rocker arms are to be used. For instance in the rocker arms of a Nash car I have found that these holes operate successfully when made about one-eighth of an inch in diameter.

On account of the substantially floating contact member I 8, and the tension due to the spring I9, there is at all times sufficient pressure or contact between these operating parts, so that there is little or no possibility of tapping, or noises due to the operation of the rockers. Furthermore, my improved rocker arm assembly avoids the necessity of constant adjustment of the tappets and serves to prevent valves from burning, warping or pitting due to improper tappet clearance. It also tends to increase the power of the engine due to more efficient action. The height of the opening I? in the bearing [6 is sufficiently greater than the diameter of the floater or contact 58 to permit any desired clearance between the top of the bearing 16 and the floater. It will also be noted that the forward edges of the projection 24 are curved so that they tend to hold the roller against the forward surface of the bearing whereby the floater will tend to maintain contact with such surface and avoid striking the bearing in such a manner as to cause tapping or noise. On account of this arrangement the effective clearance between the valve stem and the rocker arm may be greater than that ordinarily provided in such engines so as to insure the proper seating of the valves at all times. Any novel or patentable subject matter shown herein but not claimed is not intended to be dedicated to the public, such subject matter being included in applicants co-pending application for Valve operating devices, filed November 21, 1936, Serial No. 112,125.

While I have described a form of my invention which is preferred for certain makes of cars, it will be apparent that same may be modified in order to adapt it to other cars or engines, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to the particular construction shown and described except as specified in the following claims in which I claim:

1. The combination with a hollow shaft to which oil is supplied, of a valve rocker having a bearing engaging with the shaft and receiving oil therefrom and having one arm for receiving an adjusting screw and another arm having a transverse bearing at the outer end thereof which is parallel to the axis of said shaft, a floating member floating freely in said bearing, resilient means tending to press the floater downwardly, said floater being adapted to engage with a valve stem, the first named arm being provided with a hole of sufficient diameter and length to induce suflicient suction to draw oil from the shaft to the push rod and the second named arm having a hole of sufficient diameter and length to induce suflicient suction to oil the floater, said shaft having one or more openings within the bearing which do not register with the holes in said arms.

2. A valve rocker of the character set forth, having a transverse bearing at one end thereof with an opening through the lower portion of the bearing, a floater having annular grooves mounted in said bearing, the hole in the bearing being larger than the floater, a spring mounted on said valve rocker having projections extending through openings in the bearing and engaging with said grooves and tending to press the floater downwardly, said rocker having holes of sufficient diameter and length to exert by centrifugal force a suction automatically bleeding the main bearing of sufficient oil to correctly lubricate coacting parts.

3. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a push rod, a valve rocker having outwardly projecting arms, a bearing for said rocker, an adjusting screw connecting one arm of the valve rocker and the push rod, a bearing at Q the outer end of the other arm having an oval shaped opening therein, the largest dimension of which is at an angle to the vertical. a movable member mounted in said bearing and having annular grooves therein, a valve stem projecting through the side of the bearing and engaging with said member, a projection on said rocker, a spring having one end engaging with the rocker, a fulcrum passing through the projection and engaging with the spring, projections on the end of the spring projecting through holes in the side of the bearing and engaging with the grooves in said member, said arms having holes therethrough for conducting oil from the rocker arm bearing to the ends of the arms for lubricating adjacent parts.

4. A valve rocker of the character set forth, having a transverse bearing at one end thereof with an opening therethrough, a floater element having grooves mounted in said bearing, the hole in the bearing being larger than the floater, a spring mounted on said valve rocker having projections engaging with said grooves and tending to press the floater downwardly, said rocker having holes therethrough of sufficient diameter to exert by centrifugal force a suction automatically bleeding the main bearing of suflicient oil to lubricate the coacting parts in accordance with the speed of the valve rocker.

HARRY L. NOTTERQ 

